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Benton County Commission approves a slate of budget amendments, rejects $2,000 seniors amendment
Summary
The Benton County Commission approved multiple budget appropriations — including airport grant, school leave reimbursement and public‑safety vehicle insurance reimbursements — and approved a $1,000 senior‑food appropriation after an amendment to raise it to $2,000 failed.
The Benton County Commission approved a series of budget resolutions during its February meeting, covering small grant and reimbursement items and a contested seniors' food appropriation.
Resolutions approved included a $5,165 appropriation from an airport terminal renovation grant to a spending line for the airport, a $35,000 state reimbursement for paid parental leave to the schools, and $948.86 received from insurance payments to cover sheriff department vehicle expenditures. Each of those measures passed on roll call with affirmative votes recorded by the clerk.
A later item to appropriate $1,000 for seniors' food drew more debate. Commissioner Miller moved to amend the item to $2,000; that amendment failed after roll call, and the $1,000 appropriation then passed as originally presented. Commissioners discussed that the senior program had received donated food supplies from Second Harvest and some budgetary constraints dating to a prior administrator's change in meal frequency.
Other smaller appropriations approved included $23,962.86 to close out an animal shelter fund, $10,000 to cover a shortfall in the sanitation department’s waste tire disposal budget (Liberty Tire collection fees), $2,500 in donations to purchase fencing for the animal shelter, and several modest reimbursements and debt‑service fees for Guardian Advisors LLC and others. The commission also approved three notary appointments.
On a separate motion, the commission suspended the rules and approved a supplemental $25,000 appropriation to cover projected shortfalls for attorney services, after an extended discussion about billing practices for outside and county‑hired counsel.
The meeting concluded with a reminder from a commissioner that the chamber is a forum for county business and not a platform for campaigning. The commission adjourned after the final votes.
